JP5573337B2 - Information providing apparatus, information providing method, program, information processing apparatus, service providing apparatus, and information processing system - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an information providing apparatus, an information providing method, a program, an information processing apparatus, a service providing apparatus, and an information processing system.

  2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, a client / server system in which a computer plays a role of a client (hereinafter also referred to as an “information processing apparatus”) and a server (hereinafter also referred to as an “information providing apparatus”) has been utilized in various situations. . In the client server, generally, the user inputs a desired instruction to the client while browsing the screen, and the client transmits a request corresponding to the instruction input by the user to the server. The server receives a request transmitted from the client, executes an operation according to the request, and returns a result obtained by executing the request to the client as a response to the request.

  Various information is transmitted and received between the client and the server. For example, the content selected by the user from the content held by the server is transmitted to the client, and the client outputs the content. In order for a user to select content, it is common for a client to acquire a content list, which is a list of data related to each content, from a server, and to allow the user to browse the acquired content list (for example, patent literature). 1).

  By the way, as the above-described content and content list, there are cases where a server acquires from another device (hereinafter also referred to as “service providing device”). In such a case, empty data may exist in the content list transmitted from the service providing apparatus. The reason why empty data exists in the content list is, for example, due to the designer's intention to make an area corresponding to empty data empty space when the content list is displayed on the screen. In this way, by allowing the designer to freely arrange empty data in the content list, for example, variations can be provided in the display of the content list.

JP 2010-016623 A

  However, there may be a client that cannot normally display a content list including empty data. In such a case, there is a problem that the server cannot transmit the content list including empty data to the client as it is. Although a method of transmitting a content list excluding empty data to the client is also assumed, there is a problem that a load for generating the content list excluding empty data is applied to the server.

  Also, when the content list is transmitted from the service providing device to the server, or when the content list is transmitted from the server to the client, it is difficult to transmit all the data constituting the content list at one time, In each case, the number of messages that can be sent is usually limited. In such a case, for example, there is a possibility that the number of data after removing empty data in the server may not reach the number of data that can be transmitted to the client, and the number of data that can be transmitted to the client is reached. The server may need to acquire a content list from the service providing apparatus until the server is loaded.

  Accordingly, the present invention provides a new and improved technique capable of flexibly dealing with a client that cannot normally display a content list including empty data while reducing the load on the server. It is what.

  According to an embodiment of the present invention, a request receiving unit that receives a list acquisition request that is a request for instructing acquisition of a content list that is a list of data related to each content, and the content A request transmission unit that transmits a list transmission request that is a request for instructing a service providing apparatus that provides a list to transmit the content list, and includes the content list from the service providing apparatus as a response to the list transmission request A response receiving unit that receives a list transmission response that is a response; and the empty data in the content list included in the list transmission response received by the response receiving unit is received by the request receiving unit. The content list including the empty data as a response to the list acquisition request A list acquisition response is a response that includes and a response transmitting unit that transmits to the information processing apparatus, the information providing apparatus is provided.

  The information providing apparatus further includes a list acquisition request processing unit that determines whether or not the information processing apparatus can normally perform processing when the content list including the empty data is received, The request transmission unit, when the list acquisition request processing unit determines that the information processing apparatus can normally perform processing when the content list including the empty data is received, The list transmission request may be transmitted to the service providing apparatus.

  When the list acquisition request processing unit determines that the information processing apparatus cannot normally perform the processing when the content list including the empty data is received, the request transmission unit The transmission of the list transmission request to the service providing apparatus is omitted, and the response transmission unit does not have any data related to each of the contents instead of the response including the content list including the empty data. A response indicating this may be transmitted to the information processing apparatus as the list acquisition response.

  The list acquisition request processing unit performs processing when the content list including the empty data is received based on the type of the information processing device included in the list acquisition request received by the request receiving unit. It may be determined whether the information processing apparatus can perform normally.

  In the list acquisition request, the list acquisition request processing unit includes, as information indicating a range of data to be acquired in the content list, a number X indicating the head of the data to be acquired and the data to be acquired. The number Y is included, and when the list transmission response includes the data in a page unit in which data is collected every predetermined number N, the quotient obtained by dividing X by N is calculated as Q1. In addition, the remainder is calculated as R1, the quotient obtained by dividing X + Y by N is calculated as Q2, and the remainder is calculated as R2. When R1 is 0, Q1 is P1, and R1 is other than 0. In this case, the value obtained by adding 1 to Q1 is set as P1, and when R2 is 0, Q2 is set as P2, and when R2 is other than 0, the value obtained by adding 1 to Q2 is set as P2. The integers from P1 to P2 are included in the list transmission request, and the response reception unit receives the list transmission response including pages from the P1 page to the P2 page as a response to the list transmission request. Then, the information providing apparatus, from among the pages from the P1 page to the P2 page included in the list transmission response received by the response receiving unit, from the top of the page of the P1 page to the R1 + 1 A list transmission response processing unit that extracts from the top data to the R2th data from the top of the P2 page and includes it in the list response may be further provided.

  According to another embodiment of the present invention, the request receiving unit of the information providing apparatus including a request receiving unit, a request transmitting unit, a response receiving unit, and a response transmitting unit relates to each of the contents. Receiving a list acquisition request, which is a request for instructing acquisition of a content list, which is a list of data, from the information processing apparatus; and, by the request transmission unit, the service providing apparatus that provides the content list, A step of transmitting a list transmission request that is a request for instructing transmission; and a response to the list transmission request is received from the service providing apparatus as a response to the list transmission request by the response receiving unit. And the list transmission response received by the response receiving unit by the response transmitting unit. When there is empty data in the included content list, a list acquisition response that is a response including the content list including the empty data is received as the response to the list acquisition request received by the request reception unit. Transmitting to the apparatus. An information providing method is provided.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, a request for receiving a list acquisition request, which is a request for instructing a computer to acquire a content list that is a list of data related to each content, from the information processing apparatus A receiving unit, a request transmitting unit that transmits a list transmission request that is a request for instructing the service providing device that provides the content list to transmit the content list, and the service providing device as a response to the list transmission request A response receiving unit for receiving a list transmission response that is a response including the content list from:
The content including the empty data as a response to the list acquisition request received by the request receiving unit when empty data exists in the content list included in the list transmission response received by the response receiving unit A program for functioning as an information providing device is provided, comprising: a response transmission unit that transmits a list acquisition response that is a response including a list to the information processing device.

  According to another embodiment of the present invention, a transmission unit that transmits a list acquisition request, which is a request for instructing acquisition of a content list that is a list of data related to each of the contents, to the information providing device; Provided by an information processing device, comprising: a receiving unit that receives a list acquisition response that is a response including the content list including empty data as a response to the list acquisition request transmitted by the transmission unit from the information providing device Is done.

  The information processing apparatus further includes a display control unit that causes the display unit to display the content list included in the list acquisition response received from the information providing device by the receiving unit, and the display control unit includes the content When the list includes the empty data, a space may be arranged in a display area corresponding to the empty data and the content list may be displayed on the display unit.

  According to another embodiment of the present invention, a storage unit that stores a content list that is a list of data related to each content, and a list transmission that is a request for instructing transmission of the content list A receiving unit that receives a request from an information providing device, and a list transmission response that is a response including the content list stored in the storage unit as a response to the list transmission request received by the receiving unit. A list that is a response including the content list including the empty data as a response to the list transmission request when empty data exists in the content list. A service providing apparatus is provided that transmits a transmission response to the information providing apparatus.

  According to another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided an information processing system including an information providing device, an information processing device, and a service providing device, wherein the information providing device stores data related to each of contents. A request receiving unit that receives a list acquisition request that is a request for instructing acquisition of a content list that is a list from an information processing device, and a service providing device that provides the content list for instructing transmission of the content list A request transmission unit that transmits a list transmission request that is a request; a response reception unit that receives a list transmission response including a content list from the service providing apparatus as a response to the list transmission request; and the response reception unit When there is empty data in the content list included in the list transmission response received by A response transmission unit that transmits a list acquisition response, which is a response including the content list including the empty data, to the information processing apparatus as a response to the list acquisition request received by the request reception unit, and An information processing device includes a transmission unit that transmits the list acquisition request to the information providing device, and a reception unit that receives the list acquisition response from the information providing device as a response to the list acquisition request transmitted by the transmission unit. The service providing device includes a storage unit that stores the content list, a receiving unit that receives the list transmission request from the information providing device, and the list transmission request received by the receiving unit. A list transmission response which is a response including the content list stored in the storage unit as a response to And a transmission unit that transmits to the information providing apparatus, an information processing system is provided.

  As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to flexibly deal with a client that cannot normally display a content list including empty data while reducing the load on the server.

It is a figure which shows the structure of the information processing system which concerns on this embodiment. It is a figure for demonstrating the outline | summary of the function which the information processing system which concerns on this embodiment has. It is a figure which shows the function structure of the service provision apparatus which concerns on this embodiment. It is a figure which shows the function structure of the information provision apparatus which concerns on this embodiment. It is a figure which shows the function structure of the information processing apparatus which concerns on this embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of the process performed by the information processing system which concerns on this embodiment.

  Exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In addition, in this specification and drawing, about the component which has the substantially same function structure, duplication description is abbreviate | omitted by attaching | subjecting the same code | symbol.

Further, the “DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION” will be described in the following order.
1. Embodiment 1-1. Configuration of information processing system 1-2. Overview of functions of information processing system 1-3. Functional configuration of service providing apparatus 1-4. Functional configuration of information providing apparatus 1-5. Functional configuration of information processing apparatus 1-6. Flow of processing executed by information processing system Modified example 2. Summary

<1. Embodiment>
[1-1. Configuration of information processing system]
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of an information processing system according to the present embodiment. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the information processing system 10 includes a service providing apparatus 100, an information providing apparatus 200, and an information processing apparatus 300. The information providing apparatus 200 and the information processing apparatus 300 exist in the same home network, for example. The information providing apparatus 200 functions as, for example, a DMS (Digital Media Server), and the information processing apparatus 300 functions, for example, as a DMP (Digital Media Player). That is, the information processing apparatus 300 acquires content and a content list from the information providing apparatus 200 according to DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance).

  The type of content is assumed to be music data, video data, text data, etc., but is not particularly limited. The content list is not a content itself but a list of data related to the content. As data related to the content, the name of the content, information indicating the content, the name of a person related to the content, and the like are assumed, but the data is not particularly limited.

  In order for the information processing apparatus 300 to acquire a content list from the information providing apparatus 200, for example, the information processing apparatus 300 transmits a list acquisition request to the information providing apparatus 200, and the information providing apparatus 200 as a response to the list transmission request. The content list transmitted by is received. The information processing apparatus 300 acquires content selected by the user from the content list from the information providing apparatus 200.

  The content or content list transmitted to the information processing apparatus 300 may be held directly by the service providing apparatus 100 that is an apparatus other than the information providing apparatus 200. In such a case, the information providing apparatus 200 functions as a relay apparatus for delivering the content list held by the service providing apparatus 100 to the information processing apparatus 300. That is, when the information providing apparatus 200 and the information processing apparatus 300 exist in the same home network, the information providing apparatus 200 directly holds the content and the content list in the information processing apparatus 300. It functions as a virtual DMS to be provided. The information providing apparatus 200 and the service providing apparatus 100 are connected to the Internet, for example, and can communicate via the Internet.

  The content list transmitted from the service providing apparatus 100 may include empty data (hereinafter also referred to as “padding object”). The reason why empty data exists in the content list is, for example, due to the designer's intention to make the area corresponding to empty data empty when the information processing apparatus 300 displays the content list on the screen. . In this way, by allowing the designer to freely arrange empty data in the content list, for example, variations can be provided in the display of the content list.

  However, there is a possibility that the information processing apparatus 300 cannot normally display a content list including empty data. In such a case, the information providing apparatus 200 cannot transmit the content list including empty data to the information processing apparatus 300 as it is. The information providing apparatus 200 is also assumed to transmit a content list excluding empty data to the information processing apparatus 300. However, the load for generating the content list excluding empty data depends on the information providing apparatus 200. End up.

  In this specification, a technique that can flexibly cope with an information processing apparatus 300 that cannot normally display a content list including empty data while reducing the load on the information providing apparatus 200 will be described in detail. explain.

[1-2. Overview of functions of information processing system]
FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining an overview of the functions of the information processing system according to the present embodiment. As illustrated in FIG. 2, a list acquisition request is transmitted from the information processing apparatus 300 to the information providing apparatus 200 by a user operation or the like, and a list transmission request generated in response to the list acquisition request is provided from the information providing apparatus 200. Transmitted to the device 100. When receiving the list transmission request, the service providing apparatus 100 transmits the content list 131 to the information processing apparatus 300 via the information providing apparatus 200. The information processing apparatus 300 displays the icons of the acquired data C81 to C100 (however, the data C96 and C100 are empty spaces) on the display screen 381, and displays the data C81 selected by the user in the detailed information window 382. doing.

  When the content list is transmitted from the service providing apparatus 100 to the information providing apparatus 200, or when the content list is transmitted from the information providing apparatus 200 to the information processing apparatus 300, the data (data) for all cases constituting the content list 131 It is not necessary to process C1 to C105) at a time, and the number of cases transmitted in each case is usually limited. FIG. 2 illustrates a case where 15 items (one page) can be transmitted from the service providing device 100 to the information providing device 200 at a time, and every 20 items can be processed from the information providing device 200 to the information processing device 300 at a time. It is shown.

  In such a case, for example, there is a possibility that the number of data items after removing empty data in the information providing apparatus 200 does not reach the number of data items that can be transmitted to the client. Since the information providing apparatus 200 needs to acquire the content list 131 from the service providing apparatus 100 until the number of data items that can be obtained is reached, the information providing apparatus 200 is loaded. According to the present embodiment, it is possible to reduce the load on the information providing apparatus 200 as described above.

  In the following, for example, various types of information included in a request or response are set by a transmission source at a predetermined position in the request or response defined for each type of information, and are acquired from the predetermined position by the transmission destination.

[1-3. Functional configuration of service providing device]
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a functional configuration of the service providing apparatus according to the present embodiment. The service providing apparatus 100 includes at least a storage unit 130, a reception unit 110, and a transmission unit 140.

  The storage unit 130 stores content 132 and a content list 131 that is a list of data related to each of the content 132. In the example illustrated in FIG. 2, the storage unit 130 stores the first to 105th content as the content 132, and the first to 105th content as the content list 131. The data C1-C105 related to are stored. The content list 131 includes empty data (data C96 and C100 in the example shown in FIG. 2) as described above. The storage unit 130 is configured by a storage device such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) or a semiconductor memory, for example.

  The receiving unit 110 has a function of receiving a list transmission request, which is a request for instructing transmission of the content list 131, from the information providing apparatus 200. The format of the list transmission request is not particularly limited. The receiving unit 110 has a function of receiving a content transmission request, which is a request for instructing transmission of the content 132, from the information providing apparatus 200. The receiving unit 110 is configured by a communication device, for example, and functions as a communication interface with the information providing device 200.

  The transmission unit 140 has a function of transmitting a list transmission response, which is a response including the content list 131 stored in the storage unit 130, to the information providing apparatus 200 as a response to the list transmission request received by the reception unit 110. It is. In addition, when there is empty data in the content list 131, the transmission unit 140 sends a list transmission response including the content list 131 that still contains empty data to the information providing apparatus 200 as a response to the list transmission request. It has a function to transmit. The format of the list transmission response is not particularly limited. In addition, the transmission unit 140 has a function of transmitting a content transmission response, which is a response including the content 132 stored in the storage unit 130, to the information providing apparatus 200 as a response to the content transmission request received by the reception unit 110. . The transmission unit 140 is configured by a communication device, for example, and functions as a communication interface with the information providing device 200.

  The service providing apparatus 100 may include a reception information determination unit 121, a list transmission response generation unit 122, a content transmission response generation unit 123, and the like. The reception information determination unit 121 has a function of determining information received by the reception unit 110. For example, if the information received by the reception unit 110 includes information for identifying the list transmission request, the reception information determination unit 121 includes the information received by the reception unit 110 as the list transmission request. And the request is output to the list transmission response generator 122. Further, for example, if the information received by the receiving unit 110 includes information for identifying the content transmission request, the reception information determining unit 121 uses the information received by the receiving unit 110 as the content transmission request. And the request is output to the content transmission response generation unit 123.

  The list transmission response generation unit 122 has a function of acquiring the content list 131 based on the list transmission request and generating a list transmission response that is a response including the acquired content list 131. For example, when the list transmission request includes a page number of data to be acquired from the content list 131, the list transmission response generation unit 122 acquires data corresponding to the page number from the content list 131. In the example illustrated in FIG. 2, the list transmission response generation unit 122 determines that the list transmission request includes the sixth and seventh pages as page numbers, and the data C76 to C105 corresponding to the sixth and seventh pages. Is acquired from the content list 131. The list transmission response generation unit 122 generates a list transmission response including the acquired data.

  The content transmission response generation unit 123 has a function of acquiring the content 132 based on the content transmission response and generating a content transmission response that is a response including the acquired content 132. For example, if the content transmission response generation unit 123 includes content identification information that is information for identifying content to be acquired from the content 132 in the content transmission request, the content identified by the content identification information Is acquired from the content 132. The content transmission response generation unit 123 generates a content transmission response including the acquired content.

  Each of the reception information determination unit 121, the list transmission response generation unit 122, and the content transmission response generation unit 123 includes, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a RAM (Random Access Memory), and the like. The function is realized by developing and executing the program on the RAM. However, the configuration is not limited to such a configuration, and the reception information determination unit 121, the list transmission response generation unit 122, and the content transmission response generation unit 123 may be configured by dedicated hardware. The storage unit 130 may further store various data used when the program is executed by the CPU.

[1-4. Functional configuration of information providing device]
FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a functional configuration of the information providing apparatus according to the present embodiment. The information providing apparatus 200 includes at least a request receiving unit 210, a request transmitting unit 230, a response receiving unit 240, and a response transmitting unit 260.

  The request receiving unit 210 has a function of receiving from the information processing apparatus 300 a list acquisition request that is a request for instructing acquisition of the content list 131 that is a list of data related to each of the contents 132. The format of the list acquisition request is not particularly limited. In addition, the request receiving unit 210 has a function of receiving a content acquisition request, which is a request for instructing acquisition of the content 132, from the information processing apparatus 300. The request receiving unit 210 is configured by a communication device, for example, and functions as a communication interface with the information processing device 300.

  The request transmission unit 230 has a function of transmitting a list transmission request that is a request for instructing the service providing apparatus 100 that provides the content list 131 to transmit the content list 131. When the request acquisition unit 210 receives a list acquisition request, the request transmission unit 230 transmits a list transmission request to the service providing apparatus 100. In addition, the request transmission unit 230 has a function of transmitting a content transmission request that is a request for instructing the service providing apparatus 100 that provides the content 132 to transmit the content 132. The request transmission unit 230 transmits a content transmission request to the service providing apparatus 100 when the content acquisition request is received by the request reception unit 210. The request transmission unit 230 is configured by a communication device, for example, and functions as a communication interface with the service providing device 100.

  The response receiving unit 240 has a function of receiving a list transmission response that is a response including a content list from the service providing apparatus 100 as a response to the list transmission request. In addition, the response receiving unit 240 has a function of receiving a content transmission response that is a response including content from the service providing apparatus 100 as a response to the content transmission request. The response receiving unit 240 is configured by a communication device, for example, and functions as a communication interface with the service providing device 100.

  The response transmitter 260 includes empty data as a response to the list acquisition request received by the request receiver 210 when empty data exists in the content list included in the list transmission response received by the response receiver 240. This has a function of transmitting a list acquisition response, which is a response including a content list, to the information processing apparatus 300. In addition, the response transmission unit 260 has a function of transmitting a content acquisition response, which is a response including content, to the information processing apparatus 300 as a response to the content acquisition request received by the request reception unit 210. The response transmission unit 260 is configured by a communication device, for example, and functions as a communication interface with the information processing device 300.

  The information providing apparatus 200 may further include a list acquisition request processing unit 222. The list acquisition request processing unit 222 has a function of determining whether or not the information processing apparatus 300 can normally perform processing when a content list including empty data is received. This is to avoid sending a content list including empty data to the information processing apparatus 300 that cannot normally handle a content list including empty data. In this case, when the request transmission unit 230 determines that the information processing apparatus 300 can normally perform processing when the list acquisition request processing unit 222 receives a content list including empty data, A list transmission request is transmitted to the service providing apparatus 100.

  On the other hand, when it is determined by the list acquisition request processing unit 222 that the information processing apparatus 300 cannot normally perform the processing when the content list including empty data is received, the following processing is performed. I do. That is, the request transmission unit 230 omits the transmission of the list transmission request to the service providing apparatus 100, and the response transmission unit 260 receives the data related to each content instead of the response including the content list including empty data. A response indicating that none exists is transmitted to the information processing apparatus 300 as a list acquisition response.

  Various methods for determining whether or not the information processing apparatus 300 can normally perform processing when a content list including empty data is received by the list acquisition request processing unit 222 are assumed. . For example, the list acquisition request processing unit 222 provides information on processing when a content list including empty data is received based on the type of the information processing device 300 included in the list acquisition request received by the request reception unit 210. It is determined whether or not the processing apparatus 300 can perform normally.

  The type of the information processing device 300 is included in the list acquisition request by the information processing device 300, for example. For example, when the information providing apparatus 200 provides a CDS (Content Directory Service) and the information processing apparatus 300 uses a Browse command as a list acquisition request, a filter argument of the Browse command is used as the information processing apparatus. 300 types can be used. The information processing apparatus 300 can use the filter argument as the type of the information processing apparatus 300 when using the Search command as a list acquisition request, as in the case of using the Browse command. In the following, a case where the Browse command is mainly used as a list acquisition request will be described as an example.

  The filter argument is an argument used to limit the content list to be acquired from the content list that can be provided by the service providing apparatus 100. For example, the information processing apparatus 300 that can handle the service provided by the service providing apparatus 100 requires that information for identifying the type of service provided by the service providing apparatus 100 be set in the filter argument of the Browse command. Etc. are also assumed. This is because it can be assumed that whether the service providing apparatus 100 provides a content list including empty data or a content list not including empty data is determined depending on the type of service provided by the service providing apparatus 100.

  For example, there is BIVL (Bravia Internet Video Link) as a type of service in which a server provides content to a television via the Internet. BIVL is an example of a service in which the service providing apparatus 100 provides a content list including empty data to the information processing apparatus 300. When the service providing apparatus 100 corresponds to the server and the information processing apparatus 300 corresponds to a television that can receive the BIVL service from the server, the information processing apparatus 300 can support BIVL as a filter argument of the Browse command. A method of setting a value indicating the effect is assumed. For example, “av: BIVL” or the like can be used as a value indicating that BIVL can be supported.

  There is a possibility that a value that is not understood by the information providing apparatus 200 may be set in the filter argument. Even in such a case, the information providing apparatus 200, for example, about a value that is not understood by the information providing apparatus 200 Ignore it. As described above, the method of using the filter argument of the command as the type of the information processing apparatus 300 has an advantage that it can be easily improved because it can be incorporated as long as it is improved at the application level.

  As shown in FIG. 2, transmission of the content list from the information providing apparatus 200 to the information processing apparatus 300 is performed for each predetermined number, and transmission of the content list from the service providing apparatus 100 to the information providing apparatus 200 is performed in units of pages. It is envisaged that this will be done. Here, the list acquisition request includes, as information indicating the range of data to be acquired in the content list, a number X indicating the head of the data to be acquired and the number Y of data to be acquired. Consider a case where the response includes data in units of pages in which data is collected every predetermined number N.

  In this case, the information providing apparatus 200 includes, for example, a list transmission response processing unit 252. The list acquisition request processing unit 222 calculates the quotient obtained by dividing X by N as Q1 (where Q1 is an integer greater than or equal to 0) and calculates the remainder as R1 (where R1 is an integer greater than or equal to 0). The quotient obtained by dividing X + Y by N is calculated as Q2 (where Q2 is an integer of 0 or more) and the remainder is calculated as R2 (where R2 is an integer of 0 or more). The list acquisition request processing unit 222 sets Q1 to P1 when R1 = 0, sets Q1 + 1 to P1 when R1 ≠ 0, sets Q2 to P2 when R2 = 0, and sets Q2 + 1 when R2 ≠ 0. Is P2, and integers from P1 to P2 are included in the list transmission request. The response receiving unit 240 receives a list transmission response including pages from the P1 page to the P2 page as a response to the list transmission request.

  The list transmission response processing unit 252 starts from the R1 + 1th data from the top of the P1 page among the pages from the P1 page to the P2 page included in the list transmission response received by the response receiving unit 240. The data from the top of the page P2 to the data R2 is extracted and included in the list response. The R1 + 1-th case means one obtained by adding 1 to the remainder R1.

  The information providing apparatus 200 may include a content acquisition request processing unit 223. The content acquisition request processing unit 223 generates a request including the content identification information included in the content acquisition request as a content transmission request and outputs the request to the request transmission unit 230.

  The information providing apparatus 200 may include a request determination unit 221. The request determination unit 221 has a function of determining a request received by the request reception unit 210. For example, if the request received by the request receiving unit 210 includes information for identifying the list acquisition request, the request determination unit 221 determines that the request received by the request receiving unit 210 is a list acquisition request. It is determined that the request is present, and the request is output to the list acquisition request processing unit 222. Further, for example, when the request received by the request receiving unit 210 includes information for identifying the content acquisition request, the request determination unit 221 determines that the request received by the request receiving unit 210 is the content acquisition The request is determined to be a request and the request is output to the content acquisition request processing unit 223.

  The information providing apparatus 200 may include a list transmission response processing unit 252. The list transmission response processing unit 252 generates a response including the content list included in the list transmission response as a list acquisition response and outputs the response to the response transmission unit 260.

  The information providing apparatus 200 may include a content transmission response processing unit 253. The content transmission response processing unit 253 generates a response including the content included in the content transmission response as a content acquisition response and outputs the response to the response transmission unit 260.

  The information providing apparatus 200 may include a response determination unit 251. The response determination unit 251 has a function of determining a response received by the response reception unit 240. For example, when the response received by the response receiver 240 includes information for identifying the list transmission response, the response determination unit 251 determines that the response received by the response receiver 240 is a list transmission response. It is determined that there is, and the response is output to the list transmission response processing unit 252. For example, when the response received by the response receiver 240 includes information for identifying the content transmission response, the response determination unit 251 determines that the response received by the response receiver 240 is the content transmission. The response is determined to be a response and the response is output to the content transmission response processing unit 253.

  Each of the request determination unit 221, the list acquisition request processing unit 222, the content acquisition request processing unit 223, the response determination unit 251, the list transmission response processing unit 252, and the content transmission response processing unit 253 is configured by, for example, a CPU, a RAM, and the like. The function is realized by the CPU developing and executing a program stored in a storage unit (not shown) on the RAM. However, the configuration is not limited to this, and the request determination unit 221, the list acquisition request processing unit 222, the content acquisition request processing unit 223, the response determination unit 251, the list transmission response processing unit 252, and the content transmission response processing unit 253 include May be configured by dedicated hardware. A storage unit (not shown) may further store various data used when the CPU executes the program.

[1-5. Functional configuration of information processing apparatus]
FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a functional configuration of the information processing apparatus according to the present embodiment. The information processing apparatus 300 includes at least a transmission unit 360 and a reception unit 370. FIG. 5 shows an information processing apparatus 300 that can normally perform processing when a content list including empty data is received.

  The transmission unit 360 has a function of transmitting a list acquisition request, which is a request for instructing acquisition of a content list, which is a list of data related to each content, to the information providing apparatus 200. In addition, the transmission unit 360 has a function of transmitting a content acquisition request, which is a request for instructing content acquisition, to the information providing apparatus 200. The transmission unit 360 is configured by a communication device, for example, and functions as a communication interface with the information providing device 200.

  The receiving unit 370 has a function of receiving, from the information providing apparatus 200, a list acquisition response that is a response including a content list including empty data as a response to the list acquisition request transmitted by the transmission unit 360. In addition, the receiving unit 370 has a function of receiving a content acquisition response, which is a response including content, from the information providing apparatus 200 as a response to the content acquisition request transmitted by the transmission unit 360. The receiving unit 370 is configured by a communication device, for example, and functions as a communication interface with the information providing device 200.

  The information processing apparatus 300 may include a display control unit 340. The display unit 380 has a function of displaying the content list included in the list acquisition response received from the information providing apparatus 200 by the receiving unit 370. As described above, it is assumed that the information processing apparatus 300 can normally perform processing when a content list including empty data is received. In that case, when empty data is included in the content list, the display control unit 340 causes the display unit 380 to display the content list by arranging a space in the display area corresponding to the empty data. In the example illustrated in FIG. 2, the display control unit 340 displays a content list on the display unit 380 by arranging a space in a display area corresponding to the empty data C96 and C100. For example, the display control unit 340 causes the display unit 380 to display the display screen 381 as a content list.

  The display control unit 340 may have a function of causing the detailed information window 382 to display the data selected by the input information determination unit 320 from the content list included in the list acquisition response. Further, the display control unit 340 may display a cursor at a position where the selected data is displayed. In the example illustrated in FIG. 2, the data C81 is selected by the input information determination unit 320. Here, the display unit 380 is assumed to exist inside the information processing apparatus 300, but the display part 380 may exist outside the information processing apparatus 300. The display unit 380 has a function of displaying a content list under the control of the display control unit 340. The display unit 380 is configured by a display device, for example.

  The information processing apparatus 300 may further include a list acquisition request generation unit 331. The list acquisition request generation unit 331 has a function of generating a list acquisition request. For example, the list acquisition request generation unit 331 can include information indicating the range of data to be acquired in the content list as range information in the list acquisition request. As the range information, for example, a number X indicating the head of data to be acquired and the number Y of data to be acquired are designated. The number X indicating the head of data to be acquired and the number Y of data to be acquired are selected by the input information determination unit 320 based on information input from the user via the input unit 310, for example. The number Y of data to be acquired may be determined by a protocol between the information processing apparatus 300 and the information providing apparatus 200, for example.

  The information processing apparatus 300 may further include a content acquisition request generation unit 332. The content acquisition request generation unit 332 has a function of generating a content acquisition request. For example, the content acquisition request generation unit 332 can include content identification information that is information for identifying content to be acquired in the content acquisition request. The content identification information included in the content acquisition request at this time is included in the data selected from the content list by the input information determination unit 320 based on the information input from the user via the input unit 310, for example. It is.

  The information processing apparatus 300 may further include an input unit 310 and an input information determination unit 320. The input unit 310 receives input of information from the user, and is configured by an input device such as a keyboard or a mouse, for example.

  The input information determination unit 320 has a function of selecting one or a plurality of data based on information input from the user via the input unit 310 from the content list included in the list acquisition response. The input information determination unit 320 outputs the content identification information included in the selected data to the content acquisition request generation unit 332 and the display control unit 340. Further, the input information determination unit 320 obtains the number X indicating the head of data to be acquired from the content list provided by the service providing apparatus 100 based on information input from the user via the input unit 310, and should be acquired. It has a function of selecting the number Y of data. The input information determination unit 320 outputs the selected number X and number of cases Y to the list acquisition request generation unit 331.

  The storage unit 350 is configured by a storage device such as an HDD or a semiconductor memory, for example.

  Each of the request generation unit 330 including the list acquisition request generation unit 331 and the content acquisition request generation unit 332, the input information determination unit 320, and the display control unit 340 includes, for example, a CPU, a RAM, and the like. The function is realized by developing the program stored in 350 in the RAM and executing it. However, the configuration is not limited to this, and the request generation unit 330, the input information determination unit 320, and the display control unit 340 may be configured by dedicated hardware. The storage unit 350 may further store various data used when the program is executed by the CPU.

[1-6. Flow of processing executed by information processing system]
FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the flow of processing executed by the information processing system according to this embodiment. The flowchart shown in FIG. 6 shows an example of processing executed by the information processing system 10, and the processing executed by the information processing system 10 is not limited to the processing shown in this flowchart.

  First, the information processing apparatus 300 transmits a list acquisition request including range information indicating the range of data to be acquired from the content list to the information providing apparatus 200 (step S101). The information providing apparatus 200 receives the list acquisition request transmitted from the information processing apparatus 300 (step S102), and the request source (the information processing apparatus 300 that transmitted the list acquisition request) includes a padding object (empty data). It is judged whether it corresponds to (step S103).

  When the information providing apparatus 200 determines that the request source does not correspond to the content list including the padding object (“No” in step S104), the information providing apparatus 200 transmits the content list (0) to the information processing apparatus 300 ( In step S105, the information processing apparatus 300 receives the content list (0 items) transmitted from the information providing apparatus 200 (step S106). The content list (0 items) indicates that no content list exists.

  When the information providing apparatus 200 determines that the request source corresponds to the content list including the padding object (“Yes” in step S104), the information providing apparatus 200 determines the page number of the content list to be acquired based on the range information. Calculate (step S107). When the information providing apparatus 200 transmits a list transmission request including the calculated page number to the service providing apparatus 100 (step S108), the service providing apparatus 100 receives the list transmission request transmitted from the information providing apparatus 200 (step S108). S109).

  The service providing apparatus 100 acquires the content list specified by the page number included in the list transmission request, and transmits it to the information providing apparatus 200 (step S110). The information providing apparatus 200 receives the content list transmitted from the service providing apparatus 100 (step S111), and extracts the content list specified by the range information from the received content list (step S112). When the information providing apparatus 200 transmits the extracted content list to the information processing apparatus 300 (step S113), the information processing apparatus 300 receives the content list transmitted from the information providing apparatus 200 (step S114).

  The information processing apparatus 300 can perform processing such as selecting content using the content list received from the information providing apparatus 200 and acquiring the selected content from the service providing apparatus 100.

<2. Modification>
The preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings, but the present invention is not limited to such examples. It is obvious that a person having ordinary knowledge in the technical field to which the present invention pertains can come up with various changes or modifications within the scope of the technical idea described in the claims. Of course, it is understood that these also belong to the technical scope of the present invention.

<3. Summary>
According to the present embodiment, it is not necessary to generate a content list excluding empty data, so that the load on the information providing apparatus 200 can be reduced. Further, it is possible to flexibly cope with the information processing apparatus 300 that cannot normally display a content list including empty data.

  In addition, since there is no possibility that the number of data items after the empty data is excluded in the information providing apparatus 200 does not reach the number of data items that can be transmitted to the information processing apparatus 300, the load on the information providing apparatus 200 is reduced. Can be further reduced.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Information processing system 100 Service provision apparatus 110 Reception part 121 Reception information determination part 122 List transmission response generation part 123 Content transmission response generation part 130 Storage part 131 Content list 132 Content 140 Transmission part 200 Information provision apparatus 210 Request reception part 221 Request determination Unit 222 list acquisition request processing unit 223 content acquisition request processing unit 230 request transmission unit 240 response reception unit 251 response determination unit 252 list transmission response processing unit 253 content transmission response processing unit 260 response transmission unit 300 information processing device 310 input unit 320 input Information determination unit 330 request generation unit 331 list acquisition request generation unit 332 content acquisition request generation unit 340 display control unit 350 storage unit 360 transmission unit 370 reception unit 380 display unit

Claims (10)

A request receiving unit that receives from the information processing apparatus a list acquisition request that is a request for instructing acquisition of a content list that is a list of data related to each of the contents;
A request transmission unit that transmits a list transmission request that is a request for instructing the service providing apparatus that provides the content list to transmit the content list;
As a response to the list transmission request, a response receiving unit that receives a list transmission response that is a response including the content list from the service providing device;
The content including the empty data as a response to the list acquisition request received by the request receiving unit when empty data exists in the content list included in the list transmission response received by the response receiving unit A response transmission unit that transmits a list acquisition response that is a response including a list to the information processing device;
Equipped with a,
A list acquisition request processing unit for determining whether or not the information processing apparatus can normally perform processing when the content list including the empty data is received;
Further comprising
The request transmitter is
When it is determined by the list acquisition request processing unit that the information processing apparatus can normally perform processing when the content list including the empty data is received, the list is sent to the service providing apparatus. Send a send request,
Information providing device. When it is determined by the list acquisition request processing unit that the information processing apparatus cannot normally perform processing when the content list including the empty data is received,
The request transmitter is
Omitting transmission of the list transmission request to the service providing device;
The response transmitter is
Instead of a response including the content list including the empty data, a response indicating that there is no data related to each of the contents is transmitted to the information processing apparatus as the list acquisition response.
The information providing apparatus according to claim 1 . The list acquisition request processing unit
Based on the type of the information processing device included in the list acquisition request received by the request reception unit, the information processing device normally performs processing when the content list including the empty data is received. Determine whether it is possible,
The information providing apparatus according to claim 1 . The list acquisition request processing unit
The list acquisition request includes, as information indicating a range of data to be acquired in the content list, a number X indicating the head of the data to be acquired and a number Y of the data to be acquired, In the list transmission response, when the data is included in a page unit in which data is collected every predetermined number N, the quotient obtained by dividing X by N is calculated as Q1 and the remainder is calculated as R1. The quotient obtained by dividing X + Y by N is calculated as Q2 and the remainder is calculated as R2. When R1 is 0, Q1 is P1, and when R1 is other than 0, Q1 is set to 1. The added value is P1, and when R2 is 0, the Q2 is P2, and when R2 is other than 0, the value obtained by adding 1 to the Q2 is P2, and from P1 to P2 Including a number in the list transmission request,
The response receiver
As a response to the list transmission request, the list transmission response including pages from the P1 page to the P2 page is received,
The information providing apparatus includes:
Among the pages from the P1 page to the P2 page included in the list transmission response received by the response receiving unit, from the top of the page of the P1 page, from the R1 + 1 data, the P2 A list transmission response processing unit that extracts from the top of the page of the page to the R2 data and includes it in the list acquisition response;
Further comprising an information providing device according to claim 1. Content that is a list of data related to each of the contents by the request receiving unit of the information providing apparatus including a request receiving unit, a request transmitting unit, a response receiving unit, a response transmitting unit, and a list acquisition request processing unit Receiving a list acquisition request, which is a request for instructing acquisition of a list, from the information processing apparatus;
Transmitting a list transmission request, which is a request for instructing the service providing apparatus that provides the content list to transmit the content list, by the request transmission unit;
Receiving a list transmission response, which is a response including the content list, from the service providing apparatus as a response to the list transmission request by the response reception unit;
When there is empty data in the content list included in the list transmission response received by the response receiver by the response transmitter, as a response to the list acquisition request received by the request receiver, Transmitting a list acquisition response, which is a response including the content list including empty data, to the information processing apparatus;
Only including,
The list acquisition request processing unit determines whether or not the information processing apparatus can normally perform processing when the content list including the empty data is received,
The request transmission unit, when the list acquisition request processing unit determines that the information processing apparatus can normally perform processing when the content list including the empty data is received, Transmitting the list transmission request to a service providing device;
Information provision method. Computer
A request receiving unit that receives from the information processing apparatus a list acquisition request that is a request for instructing acquisition of a content list that is a list of data related to each of the contents;
A request transmission unit that transmits a list transmission request that is a request for instructing the service providing apparatus that provides the content list to transmit the content list;
As a response to the list transmission request, a response receiving unit that receives a list transmission response that is a response including the content list from the service providing device;
The content including the empty data as a response to the list acquisition request received by the request receiving unit when empty data exists in the content list included in the list transmission response received by the response receiving unit A response transmission unit that transmits a list acquisition response that is a response including a list to the information processing device;
Equipped with a,
A list acquisition request processing unit for determining whether or not the information processing apparatus can normally perform processing when the content list including the empty data is received;
Further comprising
The request transmitter is
When it is determined by the list acquisition request processing unit that the information processing apparatus can normally perform processing when the content list including the empty data is received, the list is sent to the service providing apparatus. A program for transmitting a transmission request and causing it to function as an information providing apparatus. A transmitting unit that transmits a list acquisition request, which is a request for instructing acquisition of a content list that is a list of data related to each of the contents, to the information providing device;
As a response to the list acquisition request transmitted by the transmission unit, a reception unit that receives a list acquisition response that is a response including the content list including empty data from the information providing device;
An information processing apparatus comprising :
The information providing apparatus transmits the content list to a service providing apparatus that provides a content list when the information processing apparatus can normally perform processing when the content list including the empty data is received. Send a list transmission request, which is a request for instructing
Information processing device. A display control unit that causes the display unit to display the content list included in the list acquisition response received from the information providing apparatus by the receiving unit;
Further comprising
The display control unit
If the empty data is included in the content list, a space is arranged in a display area corresponding to the empty data and the content list is displayed on the display unit.
The information processing apparatus according to claim 7 . A storage unit storing a content list that is a list of data related to each of the content;
A receiving unit for receiving a list transmission request, which is a request for instructing transmission of the content list, from the information providing device;
As a response to the list transmission request received by the reception unit, a transmission unit that transmits a list transmission response that is a response including the content list stored in the storage unit to the information providing device;
With
The receiving unit receives the list transmission request from the information providing apparatus when the information processing apparatus can normally perform the process when the content list including empty data is received,
The transmitter is
A service providing apparatus that transmits a list transmission response, which is a response including the content list including the empty data, to the information providing apparatus as a response to the list transmission request when empty data exists in the content list. An information processing system having an information providing device, an information processing device, and a service providing device,
The information providing apparatus includes:
A request receiving unit that receives from the information processing apparatus a list acquisition request that is a request for instructing acquisition of a content list that is a list of data related to each of the contents;
A request transmission unit that transmits a list transmission request that is a request for instructing the service providing apparatus that provides the content list to transmit the content list;
As a response to the list transmission request, a response receiving unit that receives a list transmission response that is a response including the content list from the service providing device;
The content including the empty data as a response to the list acquisition request received by the request receiving unit when empty data exists in the content list included in the list transmission response received by the response receiving unit A response transmission unit that transmits a list acquisition response that is a response including a list to the information processing device;
With
A list acquisition request processing unit for determining whether or not the information processing apparatus can normally perform processing when the content list including the empty data is received;
Further comprising
The request transmitter is
When it is determined by the list acquisition request processing unit that the information processing apparatus can normally perform processing when the content list including the empty data is received, the list is sent to the service providing apparatus. Send a send request,
The information processing apparatus includes:
A transmission unit for transmitting the list acquisition request to the information providing device;
As a response to the list acquisition request transmitted by the transmission unit, a reception unit that receives the list acquisition response from the information providing device;
With
The service providing apparatus includes:
A storage unit storing the content list;
A receiving unit for receiving the list transmission request from the information providing device;
As a response to the list transmission request received by the reception unit, a transmission unit that transmits a list transmission response that is a response including the content list stored in the storage unit to the information providing device;
An information processing system comprising:

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